Hi Hi,
Welcome to jewels šjust for you! Where I share one wonderful thingā¦okay, possibly two. š
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Yes I am one of the weirdos that gets S.A.D. in the summer. (I see you Debbie Weil! And I link my sad summer sister arm with yours!)
I think my sorrow arises from knowing Iām supposed to be a bikinied teenager on the beach, slathered in sunscreen, laughing with my friends. As a landlocked grown-ass woman I feel a bit trappedāhence seasonal affective disorder.
My recent sorrows are also situational. Iāve mentioned here and here that itās really hard to be a sharer/gusher unable to talk about a difficult situation. (Many of you said youāve been in, or are currently in, a similar position. I link my sad arm with yours!) Iām the woman who will tell the grocery clerk all about my heartache when casually asked, āHowās your day?ā But sometimes news isnāt yours to tell.
Just now, Iām juggling the season, the muzzle, and the weight of sorrow. So what do I do?
Clean out drawers, of course.
Iāve read my Marie Kondo!
Then the best thing happened. I stumbled upon the Gratitude Journal I forced myself to keep 13 years ago when I was having chemotherapy for breast cancer.
I have so many thoughts about what I discovered in that journal. I love that past me (the one keeping the gratitude notebook) is currently taking care of present me, (the one reading it from the depth of my funk). Another thingāso much water! So many tears and baths.
No denying the entries are also rife with big losses. A friend who has died. A relationship in my family that has turned chilly. Friends whose lives have drifted far from mine. Plus all the big wins. So many people showed up! All the things in my joy orbit. And, Iām still upright. Yes, pain has long arms, but so does gratitude. The journal may well be the secret sauce to surviving samsara... oy-the suffering, oy-the struggle! oy-the release!
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Before I offer up ideas to incorporate gratitude on the daily + a really great sauce for all the grilling youāll be doing this summer, I have giveaways.
Sunday Jewels are a benefit for paid subscribers. I have 2 journals with a prompt sheet inside to get you writing, to help you track what brings you ease. Simply sign on for an annual subscription and I will send one your way!
Thank you in advance for sharing your love!